Chapter 2 focused a lot on adapting teaching methods and assignments to fit student needs. I believe that the most important part of this chapter was Figure 2.1. It really opened my eyes to the many different variables that affect how a student learns. I knew that there were many of them, but I never really considered there to be this many, it was quite shocking. Each of my students will have different pieces of each of these “category[s] of student variance[s],” and at different levels as well, and it will affect how they learn, how they behave in school, and how they get their homework done. It just really blew my mind to see and read all of these differences. Another very interesting subject of this chapter was challenging students. I whole heartedly agree that every student needs some challenge or else they will not further themselves, they will simply get comfortable in their current level of intelligence, creativity, etc. Yet, I feel like some teachers take it over board, and give a student too much challenge, which has the opposite effect. On page 21, the idea that “rubrics can provide space for students to add personal goals for success” was presented, which I found to be a great idea. I hope I can remember this, because I feel like having students write down their goal on the rubric and then return it to me so that I can give them points on how they achieved their goal or worked towards their goal would be a great and motivating idea.
Kiera Timme
In Chapter 2, of Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design, the authors C. Tomlinson and J. McTighe discuss the need for teachers to develop a holistic understanding their students’. This includes not only understanding their students’ strengths and weakness academically, but also their lives both in and out of school. The authors then go on to describe barriers which can inhibit student learning, and emphasize the need for teachers to be responsive and proactive educators. The chapter uses case studies of real situations in which familial, cognitive, social, and academic issues arise that impede the student’s ability to be successful. This includes details of the ways in which the teachers of these students either resolved the issue, or ways in which they were attempting to resolve the issue.
For me, this chapter highlights the fact that learning is a two way street. As a teacher, I could create beautiful and meaningful curriculum, but unless the diverse needs of my students’ are being met, in a responsive and adaptive way, then I will have fallen short in my role as teacher, and the learning I would want to see would not be there. Of the ten examples provided, regarding fostering relationships with students, I really loved the idea of having students use dialogue journals. I think it would be a great way to encourage students to share any information, academic or otherwise, with the teacher. I think this would be particularly valuable in a math class. For many students math is intimidating. I think being given a chance to express your thoughts about the class through a more comfortable medium (writing) not only encourages student reflection, but also helps the teacher be the responsive educator that students need. Moreover, I love the idea that a curriculum is not a document set in stone. Instead, it should be viewed as a constantly evolving work, adapting to meet the needs of the individuals it was designed to support.
Garrett Hodgkins
Chapter two focuses more on the students and their needs, and what best the teacher can do to try to apply to all of his student’s needs. It stresses the importance that a grand curriculum isn’t the only link in the chain that a successful education is. Observing students “ varieties and complexities demand every bit as much study from the teacher as does curriculum content” (12). In the previous chapter it was already mentioned how a curriculum has to be flexible, and that is because that curriculum needs to be able to be shaped to an entire classroom. A classroom that has people that speak different languages, learn at different rates, and may not seem to have the motivation to learn. It is just as important to learn about your students, what motivates them, how best they learn, and how best to reach them as it is to write up a brilliant curriculum.
The chapter goes deeper into what exactly may be troubling a student who may be struggling to learn, and the importance of the teacher to try to find ways to work with the student, and to remain optimistic of the ability to overcome the obstacle.
This chapter has helped to teach me on how various things can effect a student’s learning ability, for isntance the student who was better at working and paying attention when allowed to move, or the student who was affected by her parent’s recent sepereation. It has taught me to pay attention to my future student’s mannerism so that I may adapt my teaching methods to suit their needs the best.
Sean Falasca
I have always heard other teachers say that a key component of being a good teacher is being a flexible one and be able to think quick on your feet. If you can expect the unexpected in a way then you will be able to become a great teacher. I know plans never go exactly as planned (at least in my case) so being able to handle sudden changes seems like a necessity that I will need to become good at. Plans can be interrupted by personal tragedy, publictragedy, injury, sickness, emergency drills, etc. I also learned that when a student walks into my classroom they are looking for more than just an educator sometimes. In certain cases they are looking for a supportive adult system, acceptance, and [[#|guidance]] for some examples. Even students with good parents, teachers are still large role models for their communities. Treat all students with fairness and positivity. Listen and learn about your students and give advice and become a students' role model because that could make a dramatic difference in their life. Positive relationships between teachers and their students can create good fuel for motivation to do work. Also, harvesting a good atmosphere where students feel comfortable in the classroom setting makes a positive learning environment and makes students more apt to work harder. My favorite quote of this chapter was on page 22 “ Learning happens within students, not to them.” You can teach all day long, but if you are not making that special connection with a students and their learning abilities then it is a days work wasted.
Jon Delorme
It is my personal opinion, and I am sure all teachers [[#|agree]], that we teach for the kids. Any other reason and you have to wonder why [[#|be a teacher]] at all? So, it makes a lot of sense to me when Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe say in Integrating that, “students should always be in the forefront of our thinking as we make, implement, and reflect on our professional plans (13).” I want [[#|to be a teacher]] for others, not myself, so this chapter really strikes a chord with me. The underlying theme of Chapter Two is that school is about the students, and “[kids] come wanting to make sense of the world around them and their place in that world (16).”
Chapter Two also stresses the importance of teacher responsiveness. This means that it is key that a teacher be aware of all of the different needs and factors that affect his or her students and is practicing Differential Instruction. One tip that the book suggests to make the teacher more responsive to student’s needs is to, “allow students to express their learning in ways that best suit their [[#|strengths]] through varied products and performances (21).” This is something that I want to be central to my teaching style. I think student choice is crucial to learning and developing mature citizens. Being a “beach ball” type learner myself I know how nice it is when a teacher allows their students to express themselves how they wish, rather than only through one medium.
Tess Perry
The focal point of teaching is the students not the teacher. Taking students differences into consideration is equally as important as knowledge of the lesson content. When preparing for lessons all the differences in the class should be an integral part of the lesson to allow for full understanding and for students to draw meaning from the content. This chapter utilized real student examples to further explain that students are at the center of teaching. The idea that students desire to be successful and are looking to teachers to guide them not tell them was a theme to the examples. The proposal to teach responsively and what that means was another section of this chapter. Building relationships with students, creating positive learning environments, understanding that all students learn at different rates, catering to students interests to engage them and allowing for students to work in different ways were some of the instances of responsive teaching. When all students have a full understanding of the content in a unit, I will know I am a good teacher! I think this may take some practice and time because there are many aspects of teaching, learning and understanding to take into consideration. Having the many personalities and learning styles in mind when planning a unit will be challenging but will ensure that I pay attention to my students. I think thorough introductions and continually building relationships with students to better understand their learning styles and needs will be of great assistance to planning lessons. But that will only be the start, having a comprehensive supply of resources; colleagues, past experiences and continuation of my education, will also be needed to ensure I practice responsive teaching.
Caroline Murphy
The accounts of the four students who faced difficulties in the classroom were really eye-opening for me. It was inspiring to read about the ways in which their teachers were able to successfully adapt their curriculum structure or instruction methods to suit the needs of their student. It really is sad when a student’s ability to learn is compromised by the rigid structures imposed by the traditional classroom setting, and I think the job of a teacher is to find ways to draw out that ability when something is blocking it. Elise’s story in particular made an impact on me because I know what it feels like to have family problems affect your schoolwork. Knowing how that experience feels is something I will definitely take into the classroom with me. I learned a lot from the section on responsive teaching, too. Everything the authors said about teachers developing relationships with their students goes along with how I plan to operate when I’m a teacher. I think one of the most valuable things a teacher can do for a student’s education is to allow them to walk into the classroom every day knowing that their teacher cares about them and is willing to do what needs to be done in order to help them succeed. Something else that really stuck out to me was the quote, “learning happens within students, not to them” (22). Teaching and learning are active processes with both parties being involved at the same level, as opposed to the teacher simply handing over knowledge to their students. This quote also reminds us that students are always active participants in their education, and as such they deserve to be taken into account when it comes to planning instruction, which goes back to responsive teaching.
Alison Hutchins
Chapter two of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design delves deeper into understanding you students and creating relationships with them conducive to teaching them the content effectively. It speaks of understanding both the variety and and the vast differences in the classroom, citing particular stories about personal problems deterring the successes of different students; problems at home, an undiagnosed learning disability, and a misunderstood learning style.
The one that particularly struck me was the first, Elise, who was a great student, but became progressively less successful following her parents divorce. Knowing things like this about your students is so important to teaching responsively, because the idea that her failure could bring her parents back together to fix her is all that kept her from doing well. She had parents that were perfectly willing to do everything they could to help her, but that wasn’t what she wanted.
A teacher knowing their students well is really important to me, as every really wonderful teacher I’ve known has done so. It creates an environment of comfort, where the student can trust coming to you for whatever they need. It also allows the teacher to find ways to meld lessons to match their different learning needs, and to make important connections to the content. Using differentiated instruction, such as using group work and discussion, giving the option to work independently or with peers, and allowing students to explore the content in question are just some of the really interesting ways to differentiate instruction mentioned in this chapter.
Amy Jones
The beginning of chapter two starts out with provided us to the centrals of teaching. The main focus’ as teachers is “what we ought to teach-what we want students to know, understand, and be able to do. Another important focus that we need to remember is whom we are teaching. We need to remember that students although alike in many ways, are all different. The main idea of this chapter is to learn about the variance of students. They proceed to explain different situations in which kids vary in the meaning behind certain actions. The overall explanation is that not all of your kids are going to be trying to find the ins and outs of math or reading, but to try and find themselves and where they belong. For most kids the importance of a teaching is not only to teach them the different subjects but always be an individual that they think cares about them and their abilities. The end of the chapter gives you examples on how the teacher can connect to all of their students without making it seem that way. Some examples are building positive relationships with your students, positive climate in the classroom matters, how “interest ignites motivation to learn, and many more. Differentiation is also mentioned in the later part of the chapter with examples of how teachers can provide variance in teaching. They book mentions how it’s important to get to know your students, having them engage in group sharing and readings, engaging students in challenges, having them be able to express ideas individual to each student, providing assessments that are not necessarily graded, varying expressions in which you teach and many more. The importance of incorporating all these ideas in your curriculum design is essential to communications “to real human beings in the power of knowledge”.
Molly Olsen
Chapter two of this book put an emphasis on reasons why students may be having a difficult time in the classroom, and gives examples of "responsive teaching" as to how to do what you can to remedy the situation. There were examples of students with undiagnosed learning disabilities, problems at home, and issues with peer pressure.
The thing to realize is that all of your students are different. Biology, degree of privilege, position for learning, and preferences are all listed as reasons for student variance and implications for learning. But at the same time, many students are incredibly similar. On page 16, it says students are going to school "for affirmation, affiliation, accomplishment, and autonomy". It also mentions that students look to school for quality adult role models who will accept, value, and guide them. These needs come in varying forms, and how students show that they need these things varies. It is hoped that a teacher will be able to spot when a student needs help, and will be able to get it for them academically, mentally, or physically.
One of my favorite quotes from the book thus far is on page 22, and says: "Learning happens within students, not to them." What that means, is that if a student is dealing with something in their personal life, it can feel as though you're talking to a wall. The best you can do is identify the barrier, and try to help them deal with it. When they can get over the barrier it will be easier for them to achieve in your classroom, and also allow you to better cater to them as a student, such as knowing if they need extra time to finish assignments, some one-on-one time with you, or just someone to talk to. I will strive to do this in my classroom; to notice and help when I can.
Kaitlyn Bowie
The focus of chapter two is explaining the importance of understanding one’s students on a personal level and taking that into account when trying to define their learning pace and style. A teacher who is willing to deviate from their originally laid lesson plan and is willing to let a student try an alternative method has a much better chance of classroom learning success than the teacher who will ignore the struggles of their students, and merely writes them off as “not caring.” Young adolescents will, more often than not, be rather reserved about their problems and struggles, sometimes because they themselves cannot identify them. Teachers who take the time to understand their students, get to know their backgrounds and personal interests and struggles, and is willing to show that student patience and guidance is going to build a much stronger and healthier teacher-student relationship. This will also help to improve the student’s relationship will school, because identifying a problem in one class can extend into a solution for that same student in another class.
My classroom, with a shred of doubt, will have students with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds, something I will need to take into account and take the time to understand. However, I struggle with the aspect of making connections with students whose backgrounds are vastly different from mine. I might be able to connect with a student who grew up in a rural area in a white neighborhood, but a student from the inner city of Harlem is going to have a backstory I cannot connect with on even the slightest level. I can certainly listen, and can say that I understand their frustrations and concerns, but these kids are not stupid, they can tell when an adult doesn’t truly understand. I struggle with crossing the socioeconomic gap in a way that doesn’t require them to sit down and interview a student and take notes on their experiences.
Frank Makuch
This chapter is all about students. Students are effectively the most important people when it comes to teaching because they are the point of teaching. Students should not be taken for blank slates that will be very receptive to teachers and curriculum. A few different students were discussed in the chapter and each of them had a problem with learning. One of the students just decided she was not going to be receptive to new ideas so that her parents would get back together. This might seem illogical to us as teachers, we must understand that students are individuals following their own internal compass. They may not always or ever see the importance of learning. Teachers must understand that results based teaching needs to be centered around responsiveness to the individuals which students are. Success in school should be based on how much a student learns, and some students learn in different ways. The grading system should not factor in what way a student learns, rather it should focus on how much a student is learning.
Found on page 21, Basic Approaches to Responsive Teaching is a list of very practical things that a teacher can do in an attempt to be more responsive to different students. Each of the things on the list could easily be put into practice while teaching. The last on the list is a way to cultivate diversity by allowing students freedom to go at a problem from multiple perspectives. This is important and in my classroom, a focus will be put on showing many different ways to reach a single conclusion.
Table of Contents
Tori Penney
Chapter 2 focused a lot on adapting teaching methods and assignments to fit student needs. I believe that the most important part of this chapter was Figure 2.1. It really opened my eyes to the many different variables that affect how a student learns. I knew that there were many of them, but I never really considered there to be this many, it was quite shocking. Each of my students will have different pieces of each of these “category[s] of student variance[s],” and at different levels as well, and it will affect how they learn, how they behave in school, and how they get their homework done. It just really blew my mind to see and read all of these differences. Another very interesting subject of this chapter was challenging students. I whole heartedly agree that every student needs some challenge or else they will not further themselves, they will simply get comfortable in their current level of intelligence, creativity, etc. Yet, I feel like some teachers take it over board, and give a student too much challenge, which has the opposite effect. On page 21, the idea that “rubrics can provide space for students to add personal goals for success” was presented, which I found to be a great idea. I hope I can remember this, because I feel like having students write down their goal on the rubric and then return it to me so that I can give them points on how they achieved their goal or worked towards their goal would be a great and motivating idea.
Kiera Timme
In Chapter 2, of Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design, the authors C. Tomlinson and J. McTighe discuss the need for teachers to develop a holistic understanding their students’. This includes not only understanding their students’ strengths and weakness academically, but also their lives both in and out of school. The authors then go on to describe barriers which can inhibit student learning, and emphasize the need for teachers to be responsive and proactive educators. The chapter uses case studies of real situations in which familial, cognitive, social, and academic issues arise that impede the student’s ability to be successful. This includes details of the ways in which the teachers of these students either resolved the issue, or ways in which they were attempting to resolve the issue.For me, this chapter highlights the fact that learning is a two way street. As a teacher, I could create beautiful and meaningful curriculum, but unless the diverse needs of my students’ are being met, in a responsive and adaptive way, then I will have fallen short in my role as teacher, and the learning I would want to see would not be there. Of the ten examples provided, regarding fostering relationships with students, I really loved the idea of having students use dialogue journals. I think it would be a great way to encourage students to share any information, academic or otherwise, with the teacher. I think this would be particularly valuable in a math class. For many students math is intimidating. I think being given a chance to express your thoughts about the class through a more comfortable medium (writing) not only encourages student reflection, but also helps the teacher be the responsive educator that students need. Moreover, I love the idea that a curriculum is not a document set in stone. Instead, it should be viewed as a constantly evolving work, adapting to meet the needs of the individuals it was designed to support.
Garrett Hodgkins
Chapter two focuses more on the students and their needs, and what best the teacher can do to try to apply to all of his student’s needs. It stresses the importance that a grand curriculum isn’t the only link in the chain that a successful education is. Observing students “ varieties and complexities demand every bit as much study from the teacher as does curriculum content” (12). In the previous chapter it was already mentioned how a curriculum has to be flexible, and that is because that curriculum needs to be able to be shaped to an entire classroom. A classroom that has people that speak different languages, learn at different rates, and may not seem to have the motivation to learn. It is just as important to learn about your students, what motivates them, how best they learn, and how best to reach them as it is to write up a brilliant curriculum.The chapter goes deeper into what exactly may be troubling a student who may be struggling to learn, and the importance of the teacher to try to find ways to work with the student, and to remain optimistic of the ability to overcome the obstacle.
This chapter has helped to teach me on how various things can effect a student’s learning ability, for isntance the student who was better at working and paying attention when allowed to move, or the student who was affected by her parent’s recent sepereation. It has taught me to pay attention to my future student’s mannerism so that I may adapt my teaching methods to suit their needs the best.
Sean Falasca
I have always heard other teachers say that a key component of being a good teacher is being a flexible one and be able to think quick on your feet. If you can expect the unexpected in a way then you will be able to become a great teacher. I know plans never go exactly as planned (at least in my case) so being able to handle sudden changes seems like a necessity that I will need to become good at. Plans can be interrupted by personal tragedy, publictragedy, injury, sickness, emergency drills, etc.
I also learned that when a student walks into my classroom they are looking for more than just an educator sometimes. In certain cases they are looking for a supportive adult system, acceptance, and [[#|guidance]] for some examples. Even students with good parents, teachers are still large role models for their communities. Treat all students with fairness and positivity. Listen and learn about your students and give advice and become a students' role model because that could make a dramatic difference in their life. Positive relationships between teachers and their students can create good fuel for motivation to do work. Also, harvesting a good atmosphere where students feel comfortable in the classroom setting makes a positive learning environment and makes students more apt to work harder. My favorite quote of this chapter was on page 22 “ Learning happens within students, not to them.” You can teach all day long, but if you are not making that special connection with a students and their learning abilities then it is a days work wasted.
Jon Delorme
It is my personal opinion, and I am sure all teachers [[#|agree]], that we teach for the kids. Any other reason and you have to wonder why [[#|be a teacher]] at all? So, it makes a lot of sense to me when Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe say in Integrating that, “students should always be in the forefront of our thinking as we make, implement, and reflect on our professional plans (13).” I want [[#|to be a teacher]] for others, not myself, so this chapter really strikes a chord with me. The underlying theme of Chapter Two is that school is about the students, and “[kids] come wanting to make sense of the world around them and their place in that world (16).”
Chapter Two also stresses the importance of teacher responsiveness. This means that it is key that a teacher be aware of all of the different needs and factors that affect his or her students and is practicing Differential Instruction. One tip that the book suggests to make the teacher more responsive to student’s needs is to, “allow students to express their learning in ways that best suit their [[#|strengths]] through varied products and performances (21).” This is something that I want to be central to my teaching style. I think student choice is crucial to learning and developing mature citizens. Being a “beach ball” type learner myself I know how nice it is when a teacher allows their students to express themselves how they wish, rather than only through one medium.
Tess Perry
The focal point of teaching is the students not the teacher. Taking students differences into consideration is equally as important as knowledge of the lesson content. When preparing for lessons all the differences in the class should be an integral part of the lesson to allow for full understanding and for students to draw meaning from the content. This chapter utilized real student examples to further explain that students are at the center of teaching. The idea that students desire to be successful and are looking to teachers to guide them not tell them was a theme to the examples. The proposal to teach responsively and what that means was another section of this chapter. Building relationships with students, creating positive learning environments, understanding that all students learn at different rates, catering to students interests to engage them and allowing for students to work in different ways were some of the instances of responsive teaching.
When all students have a full understanding of the content in a unit, I will know I am a good teacher! I think this may take some practice and time because there are many aspects of teaching, learning and understanding to take into consideration. Having the many personalities and learning styles in mind when planning a unit will be challenging but will ensure that I pay attention to my students. I think thorough introductions and continually building relationships with students to better understand their learning styles and needs will be of great assistance to planning lessons. But that will only be the start, having a comprehensive supply of resources; colleagues, past experiences and continuation of my education, will also be needed to ensure I practice responsive teaching.
Caroline Murphy
The accounts of the four students who faced difficulties in the classroom were really eye-opening for me. It was inspiring to read about the ways in which their teachers were able to successfully adapt their curriculum structure or instruction methods to suit the needs of their student. It really is sad when a student’s ability to learn is compromised by the rigid structures imposed by the traditional classroom setting, and I think the job of a teacher is to find ways to draw out that ability when something is blocking it. Elise’s story in particular made an impact on me because I know what it feels like to have family problems affect your schoolwork. Knowing how that experience feels is something I will definitely take into the classroom with me. I learned a lot from the section on responsive teaching, too. Everything the authors said about teachers developing relationships with their students goes along with how I plan to operate when I’m a teacher. I think one of the most valuable things a teacher can do for a student’s education is to allow them to walk into the classroom every day knowing that their teacher cares about them and is willing to do what needs to be done in order to help them succeed. Something else that really stuck out to me was the quote, “learning happens within students, not to them” (22). Teaching and learning are active processes with both parties being involved at the same level, as opposed to the teacher simply handing over knowledge to their students. This quote also reminds us that students are always active participants in their education, and as such they deserve to be taken into account when it comes to planning instruction, which goes back to responsive teaching.
Alison Hutchins
Chapter two of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design delves deeper into understanding you students and creating relationships with them conducive to teaching them the content effectively. It speaks of understanding both the variety and and the vast differences in the classroom, citing particular stories about personal problems deterring the successes of different students; problems at home, an undiagnosed learning disability, and a misunderstood learning style.
The one that particularly struck me was the first, Elise, who was a great student, but became progressively less successful following her parents divorce. Knowing things like this about your students is so important to teaching responsively, because the idea that her failure could bring her parents back together to fix her is all that kept her from doing well. She had parents that were perfectly willing to do everything they could to help her, but that wasn’t what she wanted.
A teacher knowing their students well is really important to me, as every really wonderful teacher I’ve known has done so. It creates an environment of comfort, where the student can trust coming to you for whatever they need. It also allows the teacher to find ways to meld lessons to match their different learning needs, and to make important connections to the content. Using differentiated instruction, such as using group work and discussion, giving the option to work independently or with peers, and allowing students to explore the content in question are just some of the really interesting ways to differentiate instruction mentioned in this chapter.
Amy Jones
The beginning of chapter two starts out with provided us to the centrals of teaching. The main focus’ as teachers is “what we ought to teach-what we want students to know, understand, and be able to do. Another important focus that we need to remember is whom we are teaching. We need to remember that students although alike in many ways, are all different. The main idea of this chapter is to learn about the variance of students. They proceed to explain different situations in which kids vary in the meaning behind certain actions. The overall explanation is that not all of your kids are going to be trying to find the ins and outs of math or reading, but to try and find themselves and where they belong. For most kids the importance of a teaching is not only to teach them the different subjects but always be an individual that they think cares about them and their abilities. The end of the chapter gives you examples on how the teacher can connect to all of their students without making it seem that way. Some examples are building positive relationships with your students, positive climate in the classroom matters, how “interest ignites motivation to learn, and many more. Differentiation is also mentioned in the later part of the chapter with examples of how teachers can provide variance in teaching. They book mentions how it’s important to get to know your students, having them engage in group sharing and readings, engaging students in challenges, having them be able to express ideas individual to each student, providing assessments that are not necessarily graded, varying expressions in which you teach and many more. The importance of incorporating all these ideas in your curriculum design is essential to communications “to real human beings in the power of knowledge”.Molly Olsen
Chapter two of this book put an emphasis on reasons why students may be having a difficult time in the classroom, and gives examples of "responsive teaching" as to how to do what you can to remedy the situation. There were examples of students with undiagnosed learning disabilities, problems at home, and issues with peer pressure.The thing to realize is that all of your students are different. Biology, degree of privilege, position for learning, and preferences are all listed as reasons for student variance and implications for learning. But at the same time, many students are incredibly similar. On page 16, it says students are going to school "for affirmation, affiliation, accomplishment, and autonomy". It also mentions that students look to school for quality adult role models who will accept, value, and guide them. These needs come in varying forms, and how students show that they need these things varies. It is hoped that a teacher will be able to spot when a student needs help, and will be able to get it for them academically, mentally, or physically.
One of my favorite quotes from the book thus far is on page 22, and says: "Learning happens within students, not to them." What that means, is that if a student is dealing with something in their personal life, it can feel as though you're talking to a wall. The best you can do is identify the barrier, and try to help them deal with it. When they can get over the barrier it will be easier for them to achieve in your classroom, and also allow you to better cater to them as a student, such as knowing if they need extra time to finish assignments, some one-on-one time with you, or just someone to talk to. I will strive to do this in my classroom; to notice and help when I can.
Kaitlyn Bowie
The focus of chapter two is explaining the importance of understanding one’s students on a personal level and taking that into account when trying to define their learning pace and style. A teacher who is willing to deviate from their originally laid lesson plan and is willing to let a student try an alternative method has a much better chance of classroom learning success than the teacher who will ignore the struggles of their students, and merely writes them off as “not caring.” Young adolescents will, more often than not, be rather reserved about their problems and struggles, sometimes because they themselves cannot identify them. Teachers who take the time to understand their students, get to know their backgrounds and personal interests and struggles, and is willing to show that student patience and guidance is going to build a much stronger and healthier teacher-student relationship. This will also help to improve the student’s relationship will school, because identifying a problem in one class can extend into a solution for that same student in another class.
My classroom, with a shred of doubt, will have students with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds, something I will need to take into account and take the time to understand. However, I struggle with the aspect of making connections with students whose backgrounds are vastly different from mine. I might be able to connect with a student who grew up in a rural area in a white neighborhood, but a student from the inner city of Harlem is going to have a backstory I cannot connect with on even the slightest level. I can certainly listen, and can say that I understand their frustrations and concerns, but these kids are not stupid, they can tell when an adult doesn’t truly understand. I struggle with crossing the socioeconomic gap in a way that doesn’t require them to sit down and interview a student and take notes on their experiences.
Frank Makuch
This chapter is all about students. Students are effectively the most important people when it comes to teaching because they are the point of teaching. Students should not be taken for blank slates that will be very receptive to teachers and curriculum. A few different students were discussed in the chapter and each of them had a problem with learning. One of the students just decided she was not going to be receptive to new ideas so that her parents would get back together. This might seem illogical to us as teachers, we must understand that students are individuals following their own internal compass. They may not always or ever see the importance of learning. Teachers must understand that results based teaching needs to be centered around responsiveness to the individuals which students are. Success in school should be based on how much a student learns, and some students learn in different ways. The grading system should not factor in what way a student learns, rather it should focus on how much a student is learning.Found on page 21, Basic Approaches to Responsive Teaching is a list of very practical things that a teacher can do in an attempt to be more responsive to different students. Each of the things on the list could easily be put into practice while teaching. The last on the list is a way to cultivate diversity by allowing students freedom to go at a problem from multiple perspectives. This is important and in my classroom, a focus will be put on showing many different ways to reach a single conclusion.